swimming pool

Question

Hello,
My 11-year-old daughter has cystic fibrosis. Our CF centre does not recommend going to swimming pools.
Now, on the website of Vaincre la Mucovisicidose in France, it seems that swimming is encouraged for children.
Can she go for example to a hotel swimming pool ?

Until now she always bathed in the sea or in the lakes.

What are the risks in swimming pool?

Answer

Hello
Effectively, the guide on the French website does not advise against the usage of the swimming pool but invites to pass quickly in pediluvium, showers and cloakrooms which are very wet places.
It is necessary to avoid places like pediluvium, jacuzzi because heat and humidity favours proliferation of germs.
Water in public swimming pools is regularly watched and checked with a compulsory display of the bacteriological results. Swimming pools in hotel, camping, are also subjected to the same standards of hygiene in France. (Public health code articles D.1332-1 to D.1332-42).
Since prevention is not always based on hard evidence, there may be subtle differences in the advices given by the centres according to the local hygienic standards.
A reasonable balance should be found between some prudence, and nevertheless a possibility to participate in social activities. Our advice is that swimming in a well maintained public or private swimming pool does not hold a significant risk to get infected with Pseudomonas.
But of course you should discuss it with your local doctor as well.
Sincerely

Yann Kerneur

22.02.2011